Fidelis
by madeofmay
Summary: In the summer of 1980, Remus Lupin's life is about to take a dramatic turn spurned by the stray thought of one who left his heart for dead many years ago. Starts off RL/OC, gradually becomes RL/SB.
1. Chapter 1

**Fidelis.**

**A love story by madeofmay**

**Rated M for language and content.  
**

**Summary: Remus Lupin's life is turned upside down and inside out at the passing thought of one who left his heart for dead years ago. Set in the Summer of 1980. Crummy summary, (crummary?).**

A/N: There are many open ended mysteries about Remus Lupin. What was his wand made of? What was his Patronus? How did he know so much about the Dementors, and just what was up with that "Twisted Smile?" In a work of pure non-canon fiction, these mysteries will be revealed.

Forgive me the use of an O.C., I usually don't care much for them but in this case, it was necessary. I tried to fit him in as seamlessly as I could.

Go see the original illustrations for this chapter at my livejournal listed in my profile, (coming soon, I promise).

**Disclaimer: I do not own, therefore I eat ramen noodles instead of spaghetti every night.**

**On Spare Thoughts and Idle Hands.**

There was no hurry. Not in that darkened bedroom where two bodies moved together in languid harmony. Sensuous moans filled the room, sweat pooled, mouths sought one another with hunger and lust, tooth nipped at the delicate skin around the neck and nipple while tongue swiped at the part just underneath the ear where the jaw meets and it sent Remus Lupin over the edge.

Remus moaned low and rough, "Mmm, Sirius."

The other stopped immediately. "What?" he said, angrily shoving Remus off of him.

Remus froze in realization of what he had said. "Oy," he said fighting back. "No, Erik, c'mon. I didn't say anything."

Erik Rosier, having completely lost it, shuffled across the bed he and Remus shared so that he was nearly teetering off the edge and pulled the sheet over him in a huff, "Christ, Remus. You said 'Sirius' clear as day and-- gerroff me, fiend."

Remus, trying to get back on Erik's good side, was kissing the never-fail spot on Erik's neck, "I swear, I didn't say his name. I was merely lost," he was doing some quick thinking. Something he was notable for. "In the severity of the moment. C'mon love." He pressed against Erik's backside and started planting kisses on his lover's shoulder.

Erik sighed. He pivoted around so he was facing Remus, placing an arm's length barrier between them, "Rems, darling. I love you. We've been together a long time," and they had. Since their sixth year at Hogwarts. He looked Remus square in the eye. "But, Christ, I just don't know about you sometimes. I know you still love him, and I wish to God you would just get over him. And until I know you're mine, mind body and soul, I can't do this," he gestured all around him. "With you, anymore."

Remus sat up immediately. "You're cutting me off," It wasn't a question.

"Good night, darling," Erik said sitting up to kiss Remus on the nose.

"You tease," Remus grumbled as he got out of bed. Through the darkness, he scrambled through the pile of hastily discarded clothing for a pair of boxers and a shirt. It didn't matter if they were his or not, he and Erik wore the same size.

"Where're you going?"

"I've just been kicked out of my own bed," Remus said, half amused, half annoyed. "Where do you think I'm going?"

"Lotion's in the bathroom cabinet," Erik said as he rolled over and went to sleep.

Remus flopped down on their sofa and slid his hands down his drawers. He muttered a low and miserable curse. Sirius. He can't believed he was so lost in the moment he forgot where he was and most of all whom he was with. It was so stupid it was laughable. He had barely spared an extra thought, sexual or otherwise, towards Sirius in months and here was Sirius messing up his life, sexual or otherwise, again.

And why should he think of Sirius Black? Sirius had ruined whatever they could have had back in their sixth year with some meaningless prank that still left a bad taste in Remus's mouth to this very day. If Erik had not been there to pick up the shattered pieces and made him whole again, who knows where he, Remus, would be today.

They were a good match, he and Erik. Erik was in Ravenclaw back in school and the Sorting Hat nearly put Remus in Ravenclaw at his first year sorting so they had that going for them. They were both prefects in school, which was how they met. They were also very compatible, whatever that meant. That was Lily's muggle-magazine jargon speaking. Granted, Erik has yet to become an illegal animagi, like the Marauders had before him yet he was accepting and nurturing towards the wolf that Remus became every month. And yet, Remus was still pulling his hair out at the mere thought of Sirius.

He tried to picture Erik in his mind's eye; Lovely dark brown eyes, so dark they were black. Black. . . Erik's beautiful blond hair that moved with the grace of pureblood aristocracy. . . Just like Sirius's. Aw hell, Remus muttered to himself. They both even have Death Eater brothers. Remus gave up, they both had an awful lot in common so it could have very well been an honest mistake.

Remus withdrew his hand from his shorts, he wouldn't make himself finish when thoughts of Sirius were flooding his mind. He went into the kitchen to fix himself a cup of tea. Or a drop of Scotch, whichever they had more of.

That's what he intended to do, anyway. He was sidetracked by an extremely well-groomed Great Horned Owl he didn't recognize pecking at the kitchen window. He opened the window for the owl who bypassed him and flew right into the bedroom with a letter in its beak..

"Bloody hell, owl!" cried Erik. Remus dashed into the room to find the owl nipping at Erik's fingers in an attempt for attention as a round-eyed Erik was scouring the letter he held in his shaking hands.

Remus stood in the doorway as Erik, hunched over, crumpled the letter with one hand and half-heartedly petting the owl with the other.

"God damn it," Erik muttered under his breath, but Remus heard. He made his way over and enveloped his lover in an embrace.

"What is it, love," Remus asked.

"This is my family's owl, Incubus. They only use him on desperate family affairs as he's the fastest," Erik began. Remus nodded patiently. "It's my brother. Evan--"

Erik was overtaken with dry sobs as Remus strengthened his grip around Erik's shoulders. Remus knew that Evan, a Slytherin four years ahead of himself, was a Death Eater and had even dueled him a number of times in various dog fights unbeknownst to Erik who preferred to remain neutral in the escalating war.

Remus remembered the day that Erik announced his neutrality quite vividly because it was after a situation he had encountered nearly a lifetime before. Erik's parents, were pureblood wizards (his mother was of the Noble House of Black and his father was half Malfoy and former Death Eater himself) and heavily ensconced by Lord Voldemort's cause. Remus wasn't present, naturally, had the Rosiers known about Remus in general, the escalating scene would have played out more catastrophically.

* * *

_"You are to enlist for the Dark Lord's cause upon your graduation from Hogwarts. You have already disgraced your father, and all that he has worked for having been sorted into Ravenclaw, you should thank the everlasting stars you weren't put into Hufflepuff. And you will do nothing further to besmirch our good, pure name," Mrs. Rosier preached. It was Easter break and she insisted Erik come home for this meeting, alone. It was a song all too familiar for Remus when Erik recapped, back in Hogwarts. _

_In a stone faced reply, Erik said, "Then, Mother, this is where the family and I part ways. I will not, and shall not take part in The Dark Lord's evil plan."_

_Mrs. Rosier's nostrils flared and her lips thinned, much akin to Professor McGonagall's, she also blanched as if this was not the answer she was expecting. "Is that so?" was all she could muster to say._

_"That is so."_

_There was a look in his Mother's stern black eyes, something Erik didn't recognize, but it was a fleeting flicker. "In the name of the House of My Fathers, Erik Phineas Rosier, you are banished," her voice was strained, quivering. At the time, Erik couldn't pinpoint where the quiver was coming from but looking back much later, he recognized it. It was the sound of her heart breaking. It was love._

_But at that time, Erik only saw red. He clenched his jaw and left Rosier Hall forever without a word. And once he passed through the post and lintel of his ancestral home, his name, as it appeared on a tapestry hanging in Number 12 Grimmauld Place was singed off. _

_That night, Erik and Remus made love in the Prefect's bathroom. Distracted, disinterested love. _

_"I'm sorry, darling," Erik said pulling himself away._

_Remus grunted from the loss of pressure and pleasure but he could see that Erik hadn't been completely keen all evening so he corralled his lust and kissed Erik on the forehead, instead. "Please, don't be sorry," Remus said. "Talk to me."_

_"I've been disowned from Rosier Hall," Erik said in a strange monotone, as if he was grasping the situation, himself._

Déjà vu,_ Remus thought to himself. He wrapped his arm around Erik's waist. He had remembered nonsensical ramblings he once uttered about 'family' and 'home' and 'together forever,' words given to someone who threw them back in disregard and indifference. Instead, with total and complete openness, he said, "I love _you_."_

_That was all Erik needed to hear as he pulled Remus closer for the most meaningful kiss they had shared so far._

_"You pouf," Erik grinned in retaliation. _

_"Pot kettle black," Remus tutted. "James was speaking of a meeting coming up. Some sort of Order headed by Dumbledore. Won't you come with me? Join Dumbledore's cause, it sounds like you can really make a difference."_

_Erik groaned, "From one cause to another? Can't I just remain neutral for one blinking second?"_

_Remus recognized his folly and made amends for it with another kiss._

_

* * *

_Erik extended his shaking hand and placed the crumpled letter in Remus's, pulling Remus back into the present. Remus smoothed the parchment and read.

It was from Erik's youngest sister, Eloise. Evan was killed. By Aurors. The family mansion has been raided and their second brother, Ethan, is in custody for "his own safety." Remus swallowed. Aurors may be coming for Erik next and to be careful.

Remus recrumpled the letter and threw it across the room, in the vague direction of the rubbish bin.

"Bollocks," Remus said comfortingly. "They can't take you. You're an aspiring Auror. And even if they do, I sure as hell won't let them. Now shush, love."

Erik reached a hand up to envelop Remus's, "I'm not even allowed to attend the funeral."

Remus sighed. It was true, it was all part of the disownment. Regardless if Erik was close with his brother or not (and they weren't), they were still brothers and to not even be allowed to pay respects was just unfathomable. "We'll think of something," Remus said, not really sure of what that something was.

"How do you feel about Polyjuice?"

"Polyjuice only works on humans," Remus replied. "I won't be able to come with."

Erik hit Remus's knee ("Ow."), "How many times do I have to bloody tell you? You are human."

Remus, not so sure, leaned down to plant a kiss on Erik's lips, "My mate, James, has an Invisibility Cloak."

"Does he now? That explains much."

Incubus was nipping at the bedpost, completely ruining the finish as Erik slid out of bed as heavily as a bag of flour to let the owl out.

"Can I come back to bed?" Remus asked, already sprawling out, anticipating Erik's answer.

"I don't think I want to be alone, tonight," Erik replied. He gazed out the window, out past Islington into the night where the fog was settling in quickly. "Not anymore, at least."

"Come here," Remus said barely in a whisper. And Erik sought refuge in Remus's offer.

* * *

**A/N: But wait there's more. Writing's only a hobby, my grammar isn't perfect, and critiques are very much welcome. Check back soon for artwork for this chapter at my livejournal. Thanks for reading! **

_**-Laura S.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Fidelis.**

**A love story by madeofmay**

**Rated M **

**Summary: Remus Lupin's life is turned upside down and inside out at the passing thought of one who left his heart for dead years ago. Set in the Summer of 1980. Crummy summary, (crummary?).**

A/N: There are many open ended mysteries about Remus Lupin. What was his wand made of? What was his Patronus? How did he know so much about the Dementors, and just what was up with that "Twisted Smile?" In a work of pure non-canon fiction, these mysteries will be revealed.

Forgive me the use of an O.C., I usually don't care much for them but in this case, it was necessary. I tried to fit him in as seamlessly as I could.

Go see the original illustrations for this chapter at my livejournal listed in my profile (coming soon, I promise).

**Disclaimer: I do not own, therefore I eat ramen noodles instead of spaghetti every night.**

**Disappearances.**

Remus was awakened the next morning by the sound of a blunt object hitting the door. He glanced at the clock and grumbled at the early hour. Begrudgingly, he pried himself from Erik's warm embrace and scrambled to find a jumper and a pair of trousers to answer the door as quietly as he could so as not to wake Erik up.

"Longbottom. Moody," Remus said, straightening out his hair and adjusting his jumper. "What-- come in. Come in."

"Lupin," Moody said, he looked quite worse for wear (and that's saying something) as his nose was wrapped in bandages. "T'would be better if you just dropped the niceties. We aren't here for pleasure."

Remus furrowed his brow.

"We've been sent by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement under the order of Bartemius Crouch, Sr., to take into custody as a person of interest--" said Longbottom reading from a scroll of parchment.

"Oh Christ," Remus spurted. "Look, he's not done anything wrong, you know he's an Auror in training for Christ's sake. I can vouch for it."

"Now listen, son," Moody said. "It's for his own protection. You want the Death Eaters bangin' down your door?"

"No!" Remus said. "You can't--"

"Come now, Lupin. We don't like it, either. It's our orders, now step aside," Longbottom said, a little forcefully.

Remus withdrew his wand, "No. Not on your lives."

Longbottom withdrew his as well, just as fast. He wasn't a top Auror for nothing. But Moody stayed his hand.

"Listen," Moody began. "'Tis all well you're willing to fight us to protect him but it's for his own safety."

Remus turned his wand on Moody, "You already said that."

"And so I did," Moody said unflinching. "And for heavens sake, we've no quarrel with you so put your wand down."

"You don't want to do this, Lupin," Longbottom said, wand aimed at Remus's jugular. "What will you do once you've attacked two armed Aurors."

Not a drop of sweat fell from Remus's brow. His wand never flinched.

"We're not your enemy, Lupin. You're enemy is out there."

There was a hint of danger in Remus's amber, unwavering eyes. Something reflective of the wolf inside him. Something that made Frank Longbottom, the best of the best in his rank, crack.

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

And Remus went blank.

* * *

_"Good morning, my darling, how do you feel?"_

_Remus was in a room that was all too familiar to him. Windowless walls, starched white sheets, he was in a sterile recovery room at St. Mungo's although he wasn't too sure on why he was there, "Not sure," he said._

_"Try to sit up. The Healer has brought some potions for you to take," Erik said._

_"What happened?" Remus said trying to put weight on his arms. "Blimey. My legs and arms are numb."_

_Erik leaned forward and helped him sit straight, "I would assume they would be. Potter told me you were hit with a myriad of curses last night, Jelly-Leg Jinx included." He started massaging Remus's legs._

_"James was here?" Remus said putting one hand on Erik's._

_"Yes, he brought you here, and some bloke I didn't recognize. Introduced himself as just 'Diggle.' They're gone now, visiting hours are over and all," Erik smiled warmly at Remus. "Potter had a hell of a time convincing the medi-witches that I'm your half-brother so I could stay with you through the night."_

_Remus smiled back, "Why it has to be that way is beyond me."_

_"What on earth were you doing last night that you got hit with, what did Healer Thomkins say, 14 different curses? Thank heavens none of them were fatal. How does this feel, darling?" Erik asked changing massage techniques._

_"I can feel pinpricks in my ankles."_

_"That's good. . . I think."_

_Remus sat in silence for a second or two looking but not watching Erik massage his ankles. Erik's dark eyes rose to meet Remus's in concern, "I don't remember," Remus said._

_"Well. . . yeah. You were hit with at least two Confundus charms," Erik smiled._

_"You knew and yet you asked me? What on earth is that?"_

_Erik laughed, "Healer told me to keep asking you to jog your memory. Sorry, love."_

_A medi-witch came in to mark Remus's hourly dose of potion off his chart. Erik's hands immediately fell from Remus's legs and into his own lap. The witch glanced over at Erik and then to Remus, "Any feeling in your legs, yet?" she asked._

_"Pinpricks," Remus said._

_She turned to Erik, "Keep massaging them legs, then. Don't stop on my account. We'll have you righter than red caps in no time."_

_Erik blushed as she left the room. He started massaging again._

_"You're such a good half brother. Mother would be proud," Remus said, ruffling Erik's golden hair._

_"Shut it," Erik smiled. "Rems, I want you to promise me something."_

_"It depends on what you're making me promise," Remus grinned, smoothing out Erik's recently ruffled hair with the palm of his hand._

_"Will you promise?"_

_Sighing, Remus said, "Of course."_

_"Be more careful, will you? I know you're all into Dumbledore's cause and it's a wonderful thing but it's dangerous, darling. I hear from Moody all the time the bloody and bastardly things that happen out there and I'm constantly. . . I donno, frightened for you. I know no one has died yet, but that's probably just a matter of time. If I lost you, honestly I don't know what I'd do. Waste away, probably."_

_"Heavens, the last thing I would want is you to waste away," Remus smiled, he slid his hand from Erik's hair to caress his cheek._

_"I'm serious, Remus. Will you promise?"_

_"Of course I will. I love you, Erik."_

_"I love you too, you big prat."_

_

* * *

_One of the things that made Frank Longbottom a top Auror was his infamous Defensive work. Only Longbottom could cast a disarming spell so powerful it stunned. And Remus found himself at the receiving end of such a spell. When he came to, he had found himself thrown into the glass coffee table in the living area.

There were shards all over the floor and in his shoulders. Luckily, unlike the poor table, his wand was intact. He muttered a quick episkey spell, he would fix the table later. First, he needed to make sure Erik was okay.

The bedroom was a war zone, practically. And deserted. Remus let out a long and mournful howl, much akin to a wolf. He felt a giant rend split his heart in two. It was something he had felt before, when he was sixteen. As if the sutures that Erik himself had sewn were being torn anew. Broken and alone he threw himself on the bed to curl up and die.

Wrapping the sheets from Erik's side around his shoulders, he enveloped himself in Erik's scent. He remembered his vow, mere hours ago, and was washed with an overwhelming sense of failure. When he found he could cry no tears, he began looking around inquisitorially. It looked like Erik put up a struggle. His wand was still in its usual resting spot in the bedside table drawer. There was blood on the sheets, on whiff could tell Remus it was Longbottom's.

He flared his nostrils and grit his teeth and with that same glint of danger in his wolfish eyes as before, he apparated.

* * *

**A/N: Snuck in a little fluff in there, because really? Who can resist? But oh! it's going down! Where's he going? What's going to happen? Find out next chapter, and remember to check back for artwork posted at my livejournal (coming soon).**

**10, 000 thanks to Jayden Winters: First reviewer, it means more to me than you'll ever know.**

_**-Laura S.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Fidelis.**

**A love story by madeofmay**

**Rated M **

**Summary: Remus Lupin's life is turned upside down and inside out at the passing thought of one who left his heart for dead years ago. Set in the Summer of 1980. Crummy summary, (crummary?).**

A/N: There are many open ended mysteries about Remus Lupin. What was his wand made of? What was his Patronus? How did he know so much about the Dementors, and just what was up with that "Twisted Smile?" In a work of pure non-canon fiction, these mysteries will be revealed.

Forgive me the use of an O.C., I usually don't care much for them but in this case, it was necessary. I tried to fit him in as seamlessly as I could.

Go see the original illustrations for this chapter at my livejournal listed in my profile (coming soon, I promise).

**Disclaimer: I do not own, therefore I eat ramen noodles instead of spaghetti every night.**

**Serious, Serious.**

They had not come after Sirius in the same manner that they took Erik after Regulus Black was reported dead. Molly Weasley remained in her house, tending to her brood after her brothers Gideon and Fabian were killed, they offered her no such protection then. Nor had they taken Andromeda Tonks or Narcissa Malfoy when their sister Bellatrix Lestrange murdered Benjy Fenwick in such cold blood leaving none so much as a few strands of singed hair and teeth. So why had they taken an interest in the Rosier family? Remus needed to find out. "His own protection." What a complete and udder load of tripe.

Remus, completely disheveled and nearly broken, apparated in front of a very familiar and comforting sight; the facade of Potter cottage in Godric's Hollow. Careful not to trip any necessary warding spells and barriers, Remus knocked on the front door.

"For the love of Christ, please! Lily? James? It's Remus Lupin, your friend and werewolf. James, I have a scar on my left buttock from where Prongs got a little aggressive one full moon. Lily, I melted your cauldron trying to concoct the Deflating Draught in second year and am still making payments on your new one."

Neither Lily nor James opened the door, but it was instead Sirius, with a bowl of ice cream in his hand and a spoon hanging out of his mouth.

"P-padfoot," Remus stuttered.

"What's all this, mate?" Sirius replied taking the spoon out of his mouth.

"Sirius, you have to help me!" Remus cried. "They've. . . they've taken Erik. I don't know where they've taken him but they've taken him!"

"Whoa," Sirius said. "Slow down, you better come in, lad. I'll fix you a cup of tea."

"Goddamn it, Sirius, we don't have time for tea!"

"There's always time for tea," Sirius said ushering Remus inside the cottage. "Now, who've taken Erik."

"Moody and Frank Longbottom," Remus began. Sirius bade Remus sit down on the couch where Lily's cat was sleeping. The cat caught notice of Remus and Sirius, her least favorite people, sitting in such close proximity and bolted off. Sirius summoned the teaset with Earl Grey steeping, and poured Remus a cup with two lumps and milk.

Remus inwardly remarked that Sirius still remembered how Remus liked his tea and took the proffered cup, "Thanks. Wish you had something stronger, but thanks."

"I don't see what's the problem," Sirius said. "You said Moody and Longbottom? News flash, they're on our side."

"That's not the problem! The problem is he's done _nothing_ wrong and they come in with a warrant of arrest this morning saying it's for his own _good_," Remus said venomously. He realized is tone then corrected it, "Sorry."

"Drink up," Sirius said, unfazed. "Why do you think they've taken him. Apart from the obvious, y'know, him actually being taken."

Remus furrowed his brow, "He'd gotten a letter from his sister last night saying Aurors had killed his brother the Death Eater and had taken his second brother, Ethan, into custody. Problem is, Ethan is an Apothecary with two children and a home in Dorset! He's just as much a Death Eater as I am."

Sirius nodded solemnly.

"Where are Lily and James?" Remus asked. "Why are you here."

"Well," Sirius began. "I live here. . . for the time being. And--"

"I thought you were living with that Dorcas bird," Remus interrupted.

"She was just a roommate. We were never, y'know," Sirius ran a hand through his hair as Remus nodded. "And our Potters are at the Medi-wives. They should be back shortly. Now, it seems to me, that your Erik and his brother were taken in for his own protection. Death Eaters are volatile people, who's to say they won't come after him?"

Remus didn't want to play this card, but there was something here that Sirius was not quite grasping. "They didn't take you when Regulus was killed," he said looking up, down, anywhere but his friend's silver-grey eyes. He heard Sirius's spoon drop.

"I had. . . the protection of the Order," Sirius said, wounded but unsure.

"And what am I? Ground beetle dung? I'm in the Order, too, damn it," he put down his tea cup and buried his face in his shaking hands. "I told him I wouldn't let anything happen to him, I told him if it ever came down to it, I wouldn't let them take him. Something was off about Longbottom. He attacked me, unmeaningly."

"He attacked you?" Sirius said.

"Both were so on edge. Longbottom said something like 'he didn't want to do it, but they had orders from Crouch,' or something."

"Orders from Crouch?" Sirius said, chewing his fingers. "It's odd that Crouch, the _Head_ of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement, be involved if this was just simple witness relocation."

"That's what I thought. That's why I didn't trust what they were saying," Remus said from his cloistered hands.

Sirius got up to take Remus's hands in his. He kneeled before him saying, "Rems, I know you've never completely forgiven me for. . . for what I've done. I know your trust in me isn't exactly one hundred percent, and I don't expect I could make full enough amends to ever rectify that. . . but if you could find it in your heart to trust me, even just a little, I'll help you find Erik. I can smell a shoddy Ministry cover up when I see one, and this one reeks. So please, Moony, will you accept my help?"

Remus lifted his head to search into Sirius's eyes. Occlumency never came naturally for him but as well as Sirius could sniff corruption, Remus could smell sincerity. Sirius's stare was as fierce and unwavering as his sixteen year old counterpart, somethings will never change, "I will." Remus said with as much fierceness and unwavering sureness to match Sirius.

"We were always a good team," Sirius said slowly.

"Marauders forever," Remus said but he knew that's not what Sirius meant.

What was almost an intimate moment was gratefully interrupted by Hamfast, the Potters' Long-eared Owl who swooped in with the _Daily Prophet_ clutched in his beak. Instinctively, Sirius threw the rag over his shoulder where it landed in a pile of Prophets past.

Sirius gestured at the pile, "D'you know how to cancel a subscription to _the Prophet_?" He poured out more tea for the both of them.

"Can't. I've tried, believe me, they made it to be so," Remus said spooning two lumps in.

"You better stop talking in 'they's' and 'them's,' mate. You're starting to sound a little loony," Sirius said with a smile.

"That's me, alright, Ol' loony loopy Lupin" Remus replied. He stood to retrieve the recently discarded _Prophet_, "Maybe there's something inside. A whisper, a telling on why they've taken my Erik."

Sirius nodded but fought the rising lump in his throat with more tea, "You look good mate," he said, slowly testing the waters.

"Sirius, that's neither here nor there, not to mention inappropriate," Remus said, unrolling _the Prophet_.

"Blimey, can't I tell you you look good or not? I haven't seen you in a month or so since you've stopped going to the Order meetings," Sirius rambled, distinctly not making eye contact with Remus.

He would have gone on had it not been for the strangled snarl exploding forth from Remus's throat, his hackles twitching and writhing with fury as if he was about to transform. Sirius lunged forward instinctively pinning Remus down, holding his arms in. He had seen James do this once, just once, and was just reenacting what he remembered. He had only needed to glance at the headlines of the newspaper to grasp what had tipped Remus over because in big bold font read the words:

**DEATH EATER FAMILY IN AZKABAN. BROTHERS ROSIER TO RECEIVE KISS AT CROUCH'S FIRST ORDER.**

* * *

**A/N: And the plot thickens. Reviews are nice, I really like reviews and check out my livejournal. It's great. **

_**-Laura S.**_


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